Crash of a Douglas DC-7B in Eket: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-7
Operator:
Registration:
SE-ERP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fernando Po - Uli
MSN:
45401/872
YOM:
1957
Location:
Eket
Akwa Ibom
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Fernando Po (Equatorial Guinea) on a humanitarian flight to Uli, carrying various goods on behalf of the International Red Cross Committee of the Red Cross. While in cruising altitude, the four engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Nigerian Air Force MiG-17 and crashed. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing C-97G Stratofreighter in Uli

Date & Time: May 8, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
Operator:
Nordchurchaid
Registration:
N52679
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16710
YOM:
1952
Location:
Uli
Anambra
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the airplane belly landed at Uli-Annabel Airport, slid for dozen yards and came to rest. Only the captain was slightly injured while all other occupants escaped unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was completing a humanitarian mission to Biafra.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6A/C in Ihiala: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1969 at 2152 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
HB-IBT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Cotonou - Uli
MSN:
45532/1025
YOM:
1958
Location:
Uli
Anambra
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a humanitarian flight from Cotonou to Uli on behalf of the Red Cross International Comity, carrying a load of 10 tons of food. On final approach from the north by night, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the four engine aircraft struck the ground and crashed some 10 km north of Uli Airstrip, near the village of Ihiala. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Karl Eric Baltze, pilot,
Hellmut Scharck, copilot,
Carl Goesta Sternhag, flight engineer,
Bo Valentin Almgren, loadmaster.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DL in Takoradi: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
9G-AAF
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Accra - Takoradi
MSN:
9407
YOM:
1943
Location:
Takoradi
Western
Country:
Ghana
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to Takoradi Airport, both engines stopped simultaneously. The pilot-in-command elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed few km short of runway threshold. A passenger was killed while few other passengers were wounded, some of them seriously.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the engine failure remain unclear but the assumption that it was caused by a fuel exhaustion or by a contaminated fuel was not ruled out.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46 Commando in Kinshasa: 45 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1969 at 0810 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
WIGMO - Western International Ground Maintenance Organization
Registration:
9T-PLJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Kinshasa – Kananga – Mbuji-Mayi
MSN:
26710
YOM:
1943
Location:
Kinshasa
Kinshasa City Province
Country:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
42
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
45
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Kinshasa-N’Djili Airport, the crew reported technical problems with the hydraulic systems and was cleared to return. To reduce weight, the pilot followed a holding pattern over the region when the airplane entered a dive and crashed into the Congo River. All 45 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident was not determined. However, it is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of a double engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Suez: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1969 at 1930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
ET-AAQ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Asmara - Cairo
MSN:
20174
YOM:
1944
Location:
Suez
Suez
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While in cruising altitude, the twin engine airplane was shot down and crashed in an uninhabited area located about 3 km south from Suez. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed. It was reported that the aircraft was overflying a prohibited area when it was shot down. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was not equipped with a VOR receiver and the crew informed ATC about the fact he was unable to receive the information transmitted by the Cairo NDB.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter in Kano: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1969
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
Operator:
Registration:
5N-ABM
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kano – Kaduna
MSN:
443
YOM:
1964
Location:
Kano
Kano
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kano Airport, the float equipped aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all seven occupants, among them ex Minister Sanna Buker.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-1-DK near Jakharrad

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
OO-SBH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
MSN:
11979
YOM:
1943
Location:
Jakharrad
Al Wahat (الواحات)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a desert area located 155 km east of Jakharrad. All 17 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D in Aswan: 100 killed

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1969 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
SU-APC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Jeddah - Aswan
MSN:
188 0113 01
YOM:
1968
Location:
Aswan
Aswan
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
98
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
100
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful charter flight from Jeddah, the crew started the descent to Aswan Airport by night but the visibility was poor due to a sandstorm. A first approach was abandoned and a go-around was completed. A second NBD approach was also abandoned few minutes later. During a third attempt do land, with a horizontal visibility of 2-3 km, the captain failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the right wing struck the top of a hangar. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames 1,120 meters short of runway threshold. Five passengers were injured while 100 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot descended below the minimum safe altitude without having the runway lights clearly in sight. A contributory factor was fatigue arising from continuous working hours without suitable rest periods and three night approaches.
Subscribe to Africa